Word
shack
US/ˈʃæk/
UK/ʃˈæk/
Definitions
01a simple hut
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a small, simple building that is often made of wood or metal and is not very strong.
n. a crudely built or dilapidated cabin or hut, typically constructed from salvaged materials.
日本語:掘っ立て小屋※
“The fisherman kept his nets in a small wooden shack by the beach.”
“The hillside was dotted with makeshift shacks, constructed from corrugated iron and timber by the migrant workers.”
02radio room
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Slang · Technical
n. a small room or building used for operating radio equipment.
n. a dedicated room or enclosure used for housing and operating amateur radio equipment.
“He spent every Saturday evening in his radio shack talking to people across the ocean.”
“The enthusiast's shack was filled with vintage transceivers and meticulously organised technical manuals.”
Synonyms
03to live together
C1 · Advanced Informal
v. to live in a place, especially with someone you are having a relationship with.
v. to reside or cohabit, frequently used in the phrasal form 'shack up'.
“They decided to shack up in a small apartment downtown to save money.”
“After only a few months of dating, they chose to shack up together, much to the surprise of their more conservative relatives.”
Synonyms
Usage
Often carries a connotation of poverty or neglect, though it can also describe a rustic, intentional shelter.
Real-World Examples
“Any available open space in Gaza City is packed with shacks, tents and huts.” “It was kind of like a shack that served breakfast.” Etymology
Unknown. Some authorities derive this word from Mexican Spanish jacal, from Nahuatl xacalli (“adobe hut”). Alternatively, the word may instead come from ramshackle/ramshackly (e.g., old ramshackly house) or perhaps it may be a back-formation from shackly. Compare Tavringer Romani hak (“place, house”), Traveller Norwegian hak (“place”).
Obsolete variant of shake. Compare Scots shag (“refuse of barley or oats”).
From shagged or shagged out.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. shacked up
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/shack
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0